January 20th, 2016

// New app offers stress relief through music

New app offers stress relief through music

Stop, take a deep breath and immerse yourself in soothing music. This is the essence of MusicforMoods – a new app that harnesses the stress-relieving properties of guided breathing, based on the latest academic research in the field. 

By placing a finger on the smartphone’s camera, MusicforMoods gives you calming purpose-written music and guided-breathing instructions, while measuring your pulse. The composition of the music is based on the latest academic research and is designed to bring the heart rate variability to an optimal level, and to have a positive impact on the body’s autonomic nervous system. Simply by using the app for five to ten minutes a day, users can reduce stress-related symptoms, restore balance and improve their well-being. The app also makes it possible to record and track progress over time.

“For thousands of years people have gathered to sing, pray or chant mantras in order to find calmness and serenity, and one of the secrets behind these methods is the breathing,” says Rickard Åström, the composer and developer behind MusicforMoods. “With this app, we have taken this secret and made it accessible so that now anyone can master stress and heart rhythm through the power of music and guided breathing.”

Based on the latest research

MusicforMoods is developed by BodyScore, a company owned by Rickard Åström and Samira Savarani. The inspiration for the app came from Rickard Åström’s involvement in a research team at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, which has been investigating the biological impact of music. To date the pioneering project has uncovered some startling findings – such as the cardiac benefits of choir singing – which have generated international media attention, including CNN, BBC and The Times. The music on MusicforMoods is unique to the app, and based on some of the findings of this research.

“I have learned to breath in a way that makes me calm” 

Prior to its launch, MusicforMoods has been tested amongst employees at Volvo Cars and has already generated positive feedback. “It is easy to use and very intuitive,” says Anna Grahn, who has been using MusicforMoods four days a week for the past five weeks. “Sometimes it’s difficult to find gaps in your schedule to relax, but since I have started using the app, I have learned to breathe in a way that makes me calm and it feels good to know that just ten minutes can make such a difference.”

MusicforMoods can be downloaded for both Apple and Android devices and is available in English and Swedish.
Download at Apple AppStore (iOS devices)
Download at Google Play (Android devices)

MusicforMoods

  • Stress relief through purpose-written music and breathing instructions.
  • A method to guide the breathing with specially designed music, which has a soothing effect on the Heart Rate Variability and the whole Autonomic Nervous System.
  • Just 5-10 minutes a day is enough to improve balance in your body.
  • Based on academic research into the biological impact of music on the human body.

You can read more on: musicformoods.com.

Press material:

YOUTUBE: This is how the MusicforMoods app works.


(Download hires version here.)


(Download hires version here.)


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Samira Savarani and Rickard Åström.
(Download hires version here.)

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